Printing machines



Sept. 27, 1955 A. s. JACKSON ET AL PRINTING MACHINES l6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 21, 1950 Sept. 27, 1955 A. s. JACKSON ET AL PRINTING MACHINES l6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 21, 1950 Sept.-27, 1955 A. s. JACKSON ETAL PRINTING MACHINES l6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 21, 1950 A. LZAHEYNE dJEJaHNaoN rILCIFLAUQHuM Sept. 27, 1955 A. s. JACKSON ET AL 2,718,847

PRINTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 21, 1950 16 heets-Sheet 5 on. Jan/max a EJWLA zmHLIAr Sept. 27, 1955 A. s. JACKSON ET AL PRINTING MACHINES 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 21, 1950 5 4 7 8 0 9 9 6 9 3 3 9 0 4 w z z a z a u z s z I /Z 6 o GHZIN' 16 Sheets-Sheet 7 Sept. 27, 1955 A. s. JACKSON ET AL PRINTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 21, 1950 w r-10p M5304 452 32 2. 22.5 K E42: 2. K J T. uuzzu .Q um w .50 uua a\ N p 27, 1955 A. s. JACKSON ET AL 2,718,847

PRINTING MACHINES 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Oct. 21, 1950 Sept. 27, 1955 A. s. JACKSON ET AL PRINTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 21, 1950 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 Z] wu whom 118. vise/(so 1v QALHEYAIE r119. HNON dEZ Z/GHLIN A. s. JACKSON ET AL Sept. 27, 1955 PRINTING MACHINES 1e SheetsSheet 10 Filed Oct. 21, 1950 7 1e Sheets-Sheet 12 Sept. 27, 1955 A. s. JACKSON EI'AL PRINTING MACHINES Filed 001;. 21, 1950 Sept. 27, 1955 A. s. JACKSON ET AL 2,713,847

PRINTING MACHINES Filed Got. 21, 1950 l5 Sheets-Sheet 13 1 1 1g dmaufia Sept. 2 7, 1955 A. s. JACKSON ET AL PRINTING MACHINES l6 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed Oct. 21, 1950 L12 ueacuv Sept. 27, 1955 A. s. JACKSON ET AL 2,718,847

PRINTING MACHINES l6 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed Oct. 21, 1950 I 340 L I 58 I J. t f q 545 I II I I I: 34 I i I 4 1 n. Y .3 I N l A.

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PRINTING MACHINES Filed Oct. '21, 1950 l6 Sheets-Sheet l6 VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIII/lfl 11,11,117

lie-

VIIIIII.

articles "by an offset printing process.

United States Patent PRINTING -MACHINES Albert S. ilac'kson, Wood River, and Clarence -A.-'Heyne,

John R. Johnson, and John McLaughlin, Alton, Ill., "assignors'to owens lllinoisGlass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application "October 21, 1950;Sefial No; 191,372

23 Claims. ((31. 101-40) Our invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying lettering and surface decorations to various 7 The invention is designed for use in applying lettering and other designs and decorations, including single and plural color designs, to the cylindrical surfaces of'bottles, jars and various other round articles.

The invention provides an apparatus in whichthe'ink is applied -to offset dies and transferred by the dies 'to a blanket which in turns transfers 'the printed design or designs to 'the articles which are being printed. The apparatusis herein illustrated and described as designed and used for printing lettering, decorative designs and the like, on the cylindrical bodies of round glass bottles, al-

though not limited to such "use.

Glass bottles and jars as'm'anufa'ctur'ed and in commercial useatthe present day, are never perfectlyround and usuallyhave slightlysunken or bulged spots 'or areas on their o'ute'r surfaces. In'printing such an article it is necessary in order to obtain 'a'satisfactory transfer of the design from the printing blanket to the surface of the article, to have the printing blanket backed up 'with a yieldable material for distributing the pressure applied through the blanket, thereby forcing it into suchlow spots or depressions and also causing it to absorb the high spots; otherwise the design'will be imperfectand incomplete.

However, such a yieldable backing material does not lend itself to maintaining a kiss touch (thatis, 'a very light 'touch) of the printing die to the blanket at the point orarea of applying the ink'to the blanket by'mea'ns of the ofiset'die.

or a plurality of blankets connected endto end fortravel in a closed path. The blankets pass over two separate rollsfone of which provides a backing for the blanket at the area where the ink is applied thereto 'by'the'die and the other backs up the blanket'where the design is'transferred from the blanket to the article which is being printed. Where the ink is applied by the offset die to the blanket a'non-yieldable roll is used toinsure'and maintain a kiss touch betweenthe blanket and the die. With this arrangement the only variations encountered will be in the thickness of the blanket itselfand this can be controlled so that an excellent kiss" touch isassured. At the point where the blanket transfers the ink tothe article being printed a back-up roll of comparatively soft yieldable'material is provided. The traveling blanket passing over this -yieldab1e roll has the properties necessary for "printing F the uneven surface of the bottle or other article.

The back-up roll is of much smaller diameter tha'n that of the bottle and this makes the roll more reliable and 2,718,847 Paterited'Sept. 27, 1955 2 effective for counteracting irregularities in the surface which is being printed, particularly as it permits the roll to enter and follow the contour of "depressions in such surface. s

The invention provides, in combination with the printing mechanism, abottle carrying apparatus which picks up and orients each'bottle, conveys it to'theblan'ketwhere it receives the print and then discharges it "onto a conveyor by which it is transferred to an oven for curing the ink.

'Theapparatusras herein illu'strated is designed forimultiple color printing. It provides ia number ofunits each including an offset die, an'ink fountain and intermediate rolls for transferring the ink and applyingit'to the die. The blankets are carried by endless chain carriers in a closed path in which 'ithe *blankets pass over a rotating blanket drum. The drum provides a backing for the blankets while the :latter are receiving the designs from the offset printing rollswhich rotate in contact with the blankets. The 'bottles or'other articles tobe' printed are brought to the printing zone a'nd carriedtherethroughfin a straight :path 'byiendless conveyors, with the articles in rolling contact with .the blanket.

A back-up roll-unit which compris'eslatseries of back-up rolls traveling :in a closed path, 'is positioned behindzand adjacent to the path of the blankets -through ith'e printin'g zone so that the blankets pass "between the bottles -and back-up rolls. The latter travel with the bottles 'and apply a yielding pressure "to "the Iblankets by which the design is transferred to the bottles.

The bottle'carr-ying spindles are spaced at equal interv'als and travel continuously at a iuniformrspeedf botlrthe upper and lower spindle conveyors being positively driven and traveling in closed paths. TheEpathOf ithe Ibottles through the sprinting zone is 'in :arstraight =line,-the1niovementof the :printing blankets also being'in aistrai'ght path through the printing zone. The highersp'eed of the'blanke'ts as-compared'withi'that of the bottles serves to roll the bottles along the blanket 'but 'ata slower speed than that at=which the :blanket is itra'veling. This-is an of the machine in sectional elevation. 'Fig. 3a shows an ink fountain, a die roll, means for transferrin'gthe ink to the die roll,the blanket r'oll"and the'blaiiketwunning between the die roll and blanket roll. *Fig. 3 12 shows a design being transferred from the f'blanket to a bottle. 'Fig. 3c "is a section through the .conveyor mechanism by which the bottles are supportedand carried to .and through the printingzone.

Fig. 4 is a section-at the line 4-4 on Fig. 2. Fig. 5 isa diagrammatic plan view of .theapparatus. Fig. 6 is a part sectional elevational view at \the line 66 on Fig. l and shows theinking rolls 'andthe neans for transferring thedesign to the-blankets.

Fig. 7 is aipartsectional plan view at-t he line 7- 7 'on Fig.6 showing ;power transmission gearing.

Fig. 8 is'a fragmentary elevation'al view showing th'e "motor and parts driven thereby.

Fig. '9 is a sectional elevationat the =line 9-9 01) Fig. 1 and showsthe conveyor mechanism for"conveying th'e bottle liftin and carrying c'huc'ks.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view at the line 10 on Fig. 9, showing means for attaching a chuck spindle to a carrier chain.

Fig. 10A is a fragmentary sectional view on a comparatively large scale, of a chuck spindle head and valve also shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation at the line 11-11 on Fig. 2, showing a bottom chuck or pad supporting the bottle, a chuck spindle and associated mechanism.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary part sectional plan view of mechanism for rotatively orientating the bottles preliminary to the decorating or printing operation.

Fig. 13 is a section at the line 13-13 on Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a sectional plan view at the line 1414 on Fig. 2, showing a blanket in the transfer zone and held against a bottle by a back-up roll during the printing of the design on the bottle.

Fig. 14A is a detail view of a suction channel.

Fig. 15 is an elevational view, with parts broken away, of a blanket, the carrier chains therefor and means for attaching the blanket to its carrier.

Fig. 16 is a section at the line 1616 on Fig. 15, showing means connecting the blanket to a carrier chain.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional View at the line 17-l7 on Fig. 15 and shows a tension device for applying tension to the blanket.

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary part sectional elevation of a blanket and its supporting bar.

Fig. 19 is a section at the line 1919 on Fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is a plan view of an inking unit including an ink fountain, an offset die roll and intermediate rolls for transferring ink to the die roll.

Fig. 21 is a part sectional elevational view at the line 2121 on Fig. 20, showing a former roll and ad justing mechanism therefor.

Fig. 22 is a section at the line 22--22 on Fig. 3a.

Fig. 22A is a detail of means for adjusting a die roll.

Figs. 23 to 28 illustrate the back-up roll unit. Fig. 23 is a plan view of the back-up roll unit and also shows a blanket carrier chain. Fig. 24 is a sectional elevation with parts broken away, taken at the section line 24--24 on Fig. 23. Fig. 25 is a part sectional elevation of the back-up roll mechanism. Figs. 26, 27 and 28 are sectional views at the correspondingly designated section lines on Fig. 25.

General arrangement of parts The general arrangement and cooperation of parts will be understood by reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 5. A plurality of inking units 30 are provided, each comprising an ink fountain 31, an offset die roll 32 to which ink is supplied through intermediate rolls including a leveling roll 33, a fountain roll 34, former rolls 35 and 36 and cutter rolls 37, 38. The offset die roll 32 carries the die with the design which is to be transferred to the bottles.

Blankets 40 are connected end-to-end in a continuous series trained over a blanket drum 41 and rolls 42 and 43. The blankets are attached to endless sprocket chains including an upper chain 44 and a lower chain 45 (Fig. 3b). The chains are trained over sprocket wheels 47 attached to the drum 41, and sprocket wheels 48 and 49 attached to the rolls 42 and 43 respectively. The blanket drum is rotated continuously in a counter-clockwise direction by power supplied to the blanket drum shaft 46.

The workpieces 50, herein shows as bottles, may be brought to the printing apparatus on a horizontal traveling conveyor 51 (Fig. 2) and are uniformly spaced thereon and positioned for registration with the holding chucks by means of a spiral conveying and spacing de vice 52 (Fig. 5). The bottles while passing through the printing zone are held between the bottom chucks or supporting pads 54 and neck chucks 55. The neck chucks are lowered into engagement with the bottles while the latter are on the conveyor 51. Suction is applied through each chuck when lowered for vacuumizing and holding the bottle. The chuck is then raised to lift the bottle off the conveyor and is carried forward into register with a bottom pad or chuck 54 and lowered to place the bottle on the pad. The bottle while held between the chuck 55 and the pad, is carried through the printing zone. As the bottles while thus held are brought opposite the traveling blankets 40, each bottle is held in rolling contact with the traveling blanket by means of backing rolls 57 While the design is printed thereon. The backing roll unit comprises a plurality of the rolls 57 connected to endless chain carriers 58 trained over pulleys on a drive shaft 60 and driven shaft 59 as hereinafter described. The backing rolls are advanced at the same speed as the bottles while the blanket passing between a bottle and its backing roll, is traveling at a substantially higher speed so that the bottle and backing roll are rotated about their axes while the design is being transferred to the bottle from the blanket.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, the machine is driven by a motor M geared through a belt 62 to a drive shaft 63. The latter has a driving connection with a conveyor drive shaft 64 through a train of gearing including a shaft 65, couplings 66, 67, beveled gears 68, 69, worm shaft and a worm 71 thereon which runs in mesh with a worm wheel 72 keyed to the conveyor drive shaft 64.

The lower bottle conveyor includes endless sprocket chains 73 and 74 (Fig. 2) running on driving sprocket wheels 75 (Fig. 5 on the drive shaft 64 and driven sprocket wheels 76. Vertical spindles 77 attached to the chains 73, 74, as hereafter described, carry the bottle supporting pads 54. The upper bottle conveyor, positioned directly over and of somewhat greater length than the lower conveyor, includes upper and lower sprocket chains 78 and 79 which are trained over sprocket wheels on the drive shaft 64 and over driven sprocket wheels 81 on a shaft 64. The bottle carrying in conveyor 51 (Figs. 2 and 8) and the take out conveyor 82 (Fig. 5) to which the bottles are delivered after the printing operation, are driven by the motor M operating through shafts 63 and 83 and driving connections (not shown).

The blanket drum 41 is mounted by means of ball bearings 85 (Figs. 3a and 3b) for rotation on a tubular shaft 86 bolted to a frame member 87 or case which encloses certain gearing. The drum shaft 46 extends vertically through and is journaled within the tubular shaft 86. An annular plate 88 provides the driving connection between the shaft. 46 and the drum 41. The shaft 46 is driven from the shaft 70 (Fig. 7) through gearing including a coupling shaft 88 Worm shaft and worm 88 and worm gear 88 keyed to the shaft 46 (Figs. 6 and 7).

Inking unit The construction and operation of an inking unit 30 will now be described, such unit including an offset die roll 32 and the means for supplying ink thereto from the fountain 31. The die roll 32 (Fig. 3a) is removably mounted on the upper tapered end of a shaft 90 which is driven from the blanket drum shaft 46 operating through a gear 91 keyed on the shaft 46 and meshing with a gear pinion 92 on the shaft 90. The gear 92 has a slidable connection 93 (Fig. 3a) with the shaft 90 which permits up-and-down adjusting movement of the shaft for a purpose presently described. The lower end of the shaft 90 is journaled in a bearing sleeve 93 within which is a ring 94 providing a bottom support for the shaft. The bearing 93 has a screw-threaded connection with an adjusting element 95, shown as a worm gear (Fig. 22). The gear 95 is rotatively mounted in an outer cylindrical member 97 which forms an integral part of a casing 98 (Figs. 3a and 6). The case 98 carries the die roll and other rolls of the inking unit and is adjustable toward and from the blanket roll for adjusting the die roll relative to the blanket roll and blankets.

"the die roll; 324s adjustable rotative1y"by.a vertical adjustme'nt of the 'sh'aft 90 which; owingto the inclinationof the intermeshing gear teeth of the gears 91 and 92, imparts a spiral up or down movement to the shaft. Such spiral movement is eifectedby rotating thegear 95 which is screw-threaded on the shaft supporting bearing .93. The adjusting gear 95 meshes with a worm 9911 (Figs. 22 and '6) on a worm shaft. geared to aivertical shaft 99 operatively connected through gears"99'(Fig. 22A) 'to an .adjusting knb10'0 (Fig.20.)."

A non-rotative vertical adjustmentof the die roll 32 is effected by adjusting thecase'98 vertically. The adjusting means includes awormgear102 (Fig. 3a) which has a screw th'readed. connection with a tubular member 103; theilatter providing. a support forthe ball bearing cage 104mm the ball-bearings on which the shaft 90 is supported. The worm gear 1021s rotatedby means of an adjusting knob ltlshavingoperating connections with the worm gear similar to those for operating the lower gear 95. Thebearing 93 is'held' against rotative movement by a guide block106'bolted"to the case '98 and engaging a vertical slot inthe member 103. When the knob 105 is rotated, th'e.case 98 and. the rolls .supported'therein are moved UP r down. The adjusting knobsltltl and 105 thus serve "for adjustment of .tl1e..die rollboth vertically and rotatively, thereby permitting an accurate adjustment of the position :atwhich the design is applied to the blanket.

The'leveling roll 33 is' mounted on a shaft 108 which is rotated continuouslyby meansof agear pinion 109 keyed to the shaft anddriven by the pinion 92 operating through an idler gear 110 (Fig.6) runningin mesh with the gear "the trunnionshas attached thereto a rock arm 115. Vertical rods 116 (Fig. 6) bearat their lower ends on the rocker-arm 115and have their upper ends'beneath and in supporting engagement with the shafts of the cutter rolls 37 and 38. .A rock arm .117 .pivots in a supporting bracket 118 above the cutter rolls and engages the upper LfiHdSnOfithfl Cllttm' roll-shafts and :operatesthrough said shafts'ztoehold .the rodsm116'1in'contact with the lower rocker 115 :so thatalpositive up-and-down movement iiSaiIHPflI-td to therods 116 and the. cutter'rolls. A yieldinggpressnreofthe cutter rolls: a'gainst 'the' leveling roll 33 issrnaintainedx-by coil [springs 1 1 9:adjacent to the upper andlower ends of-the'rolls. The tension of the springs is adjustable by meansv of knobs r120;

- The inking unit,-including the .die rollv32, is adjustable toward-and from the aprondrum for accurately adjust- =ingttherposition-andpressure of the die-against the aprons tandiobtaining the desiredlight contact-pressure or kiss touch of: the.die as it runs-inzcontact with'the apron. For this-:phrposerthecasting 98 .or case which carries the ink- .ingrolls isladjustable bodily'toward and from the blanket I'Ollil Theposition of adjustment is determined by an adjustable stop: screw 121 (Fig. 3a) having a screw thread connection with thecarryingframe 87 and rotatable by a hand crank 122. The screw 121 is held in'adjusted position by ;a clamp screw 124; A'zcoil spring 125 under com- ;pression,'op'eratesthrough-a rod 126 to yieldingly hold the case--98 against the stop screw 121; Adjustment of the. screw 121 servesto adjust and regulate the pressure of the die against the blanket.

Q' The former rolls 35 and 36 are held in frictional contact withthe die roll and the leveling roll 33. Re- 'fe11'1l1g' tO Figs. and 21, each former roll comprises -a--body 127 of rubber or other suitable material with an-"inner liner "consisting ofa tube 128. The roll is removably mounted for rotation onta shaft 129. which extends downward through a block 131 fitted-thereon and cooperating with means by which the roll is-adjustable laterally and its pressure against the .die roll 32 and leveling roll 33 are regulated as presently def scribed.

The roll 35 is mounted in upper and lowerballfbearings 132 for rotation about the shaft 129. The shaft is frictionally held against rotation by means of acompression coil spring 133 mounted on the lower end of the shaft and applying downward pressure by which the lower ball bearing casing is held against the block 131. A .hand knob 134 has a tubular shank .135 extending downward within the tube 128 and formed with a bayonet slot 135a which engages a pin 13% on the tube 128. Rotation of the hand knob serves to release.the roll and permit it to be lifted from the shaft.

The means for adjusting,v the former rolls v35, '36 laterally comprises the adjusting blocks .131 (Figs. 20, 21) heretofore mentioned. .Each said block is approximately wedge-shaped as shown in dotted lines (Fig. 20) providing bearing surfaces which are convergent in a direction extending outwardly from the center of'the block. Referring to Fig. 21, a short shaft 136, journaled in a block 137, has a screw-threaded connection with an adjusting head or member 138 formed with an inclined bearing surface 139 in engagement with the inclined bearing surface of the block 131. A second adjusting head .141 bears against the opposite inclined surface of the block 131.

The-stud shaftz136 is rotatable'for adjusting the block 131, by means of a worm gear 142 attached to'theshaft and=runningin mesh with'a worm 143 on an adjusting rod'1-44 which, as shown in 'Fig. 20yiszconnected; through a universal'joint 145 to a rod 146 and'adjusting knob 147. A-coil spring 148 (Fig. 21") held'under compression between the bearing blocks 131, holds said blocks outwardly against the adjusting heads 138- andn141. An adjusting knob 150 is operatively connected to the block 141 in the same manner that the knob 147 is connected to block 131, as above described. Such connections include rod '151and'worm-gear 152. An adjustment of the former roll 36jfor example, toward the die rollis effected byrotating the'knob :147 in .a direction to retract the adjusting head 138 and then rotatingknob 150.in adirection to move the block '1'41forwardly thereby forcing the formerroll'toward'the die roll. The former roll 36 is adjustable by-means of adjusting knobs 153 and 154 operatingthroughconnections identical with those through .which the knobs 147 and 150 operate.

Atransfer roll 155 interposed between the fountain roll 34 and the leveling roll 33 is mounted for oscillating movement by whichthe ink is transferred from the fountain roll to the leveling roll. The roll'155 is carried by'rock arms 156 on a vertical rock shaft 157 (Figs. 3a, 20 and 22). Means for oscillating'the shaft 157 comprises an eccentric 158 formed integral with the cam 111.

A rocker 160 is rotatively mounted on the eccentric 158; and is connected at one end through a link 161 to the casing 97. The opposite-end of the .rocker 160 isconnected by-a pivot 162 to one end of a' rod 163. The other end of the rod is slidably connected to a'rock arm 164formed on a hub 164 or rocker mounted'for rocking movement about the axis of the shaft 165 which carries the inking roll 34. A link 166 (Fig. 22) is pivoted at one end to a rock arm-on the rock shaft 157 and has an adjustable slot andpin connection 167 with the rocker 164 A coil spring 168 mounted on the rod 163 is held under compression and bears against the rocker arm 164, thus providing a yielding connection between the rockers 160 and 164.

Rotation of the leveling roll shaft 108 operates through the rocker 160, rod 163, rock arm 1'64'and link 166, to rock the shaft 157 and oscillate the roll 155'between the fountain roll and the leveling roll 33. The movement of the roll 155 in a direction toward the leveling roll 33 is limited by a stop screw 170 (Figs. 22 and 6) in the path of the rocker arm 164. The rocker 164 may be locked in position to hold the roll 155 away from the leveling roll 33. The locking means for this purpose comprises a latch 174 connected by a pivot 175 to a bracket 171 and formed with a hook 176 to engage the rocker 164. The latch 174 is held in its inoperative position (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 22) by a cam 177 actuated by a hand lever 178. The spring 168 and slidable connection of the rod 163 with the rock arm 164 permit the latter to be locked as just described without interfering with the continuous rotation of the leveling roll shaft 108.

The rocker 164 has a one-way driving connection with the inking roll shaft 165 through a one-way clutch 179 (Fig. 3a) so that the eccentric 158 operating through the rod 163 imparts an intermittent step-by-step rotation of the inking roll in one direction.

The printing die 181 (Figs. 3a, 20), in the form of a sheet is wrapped around the die roll 32 and its ends gripped by a pair of clamping bars 183. The sheet is attached to the roll by screws 184. The design 185 (Fig. 6) on the die 181 is transferred to a blanket 40 as shown at 185a.

Blankets Referring to Figs. l-l9, the blankets 40, made of rubber or like material, are attached to the carrier chains 44 and 45 by the following means:

Each blanket has attached to its ends a pair of bars 186. Each bar may consist of a piece of thin sheet metal bent double with the marginal portion of the blanket 40 clamped therebetween as shown in Fig. 19. One of the bars 186 is connected to the carrier chains through tension devices each of which comprises telescoping or slidably connected members 187 and 188. Member 187 is formed with a bore in which is housed a coil spring 189 held under compression between the members 187 and 188. Member 188 is connected to the carrier chain by a connecting piece 190. The member 187 is provided with a button 191 for attachment to the bar 186, the latter being formed with a buttonhole 193 to engage the button. The bar 186 at the other end of the blanket is connected to the carrier chains by connecting blocks 194 and buttons 192. The blanket is held under a continuous and constant tension by means of the compression springs 189 while the position of the blanket lengthwise of the chain is held constant by its connection with the blocks 194.

Lower conveyor The lower bottle conveyor (shown in Figs. 2, 3b, 3c, l114), is made up of a series of single units each comprising a spindle 77, the spindles being carried by the end less chains 73 and 74 as before mentioned. Referring to Fig. 11, the spindle comprises a vertical tubular spindle shaft 196 connected to the chains 73 and 74 by means of bearing blocks or members 197 and 198. The chain 73 is connected by a pivot pin 199 to the bearing block, the pivot pin being mounted in roller bearings. The spindle is held vertical and guided during its travel by upper and lower guide rails 200 and 201 formed with cam grooves or tracks in which run rolls 200a and 202 mounted on the bearing members 197, 198. The rails 200 and 201 are mounted on a frame 203 (Fig. 3c). The weight of the spindle is carried by an arm 204 formed thereon and carrying a roll 205 running in a groove or track formed in a guide rail 206 on the frame 203 (Figs. 2 and 11).

The bottle supporting pad 54 (Fig. 11) is provided with a depending stem 220 mounted in ball bearings 207, the ball bearing cage being mounted in the upper end of a tubular shaft or member 208, mounted at the upper end of the spindle shaft 196 and forming the upper end portion of the spindle 77. The lower portion of the member 208 is extended downwardly within the spindle shaft. A

shoulder 208 on the member 208, seats on the spindle shaft 196. The bottle supporting pad 54 is freely rotatable in the ball bearings 207 during a portion of its horizontal travel and during another portion of its travel is frictionally held against free rotation in the operation of rotatively adjusting the bottle thereon as will presently be described.

A means for applying such friction comprises a coil spring 210 mounted in the lower half of the spindle shaft 196. Above the coil spring is a tube 211 also mounted within the spindle shaft. A rod 212 positioned centrally within the shaft 196 is keyed at its lower end to a roller 213 which runs on a track 214 on the frame 203. The roller 213 may be provided with a rubber tread 215 or other means to obtain a good frictional or positive traction. The rod 212 has a driving connection through a connecting head 216 with a rod 217 extending through the upper portion of the spindle 196. A key 216 connects the rod 212 to the head 216. The upper end of the rod 217 is formed with a head 218 over which is a friction disk 219 fitted on the lower squared end of the stem 220 of the pad 54.

During that portion of a cycle in which the friction drive of the pad 54 is required, the upward pressure of the spring 210 maintains frictional contact between the head 218 and the rotating disk 219. In order to remove the friction and permit the pad to rotate freely in its ball bearings, the tube 211 is lowered a short distance by a cam 221 which operates a bell crank lever 222 having a pivotal connection 223 to the spindle. One arm of the lever 222 is connected to a link 224 which carries a pin 225 extending through a slot 226 in the wall of the tube 211. The link 224 and bell crank 222 provide a toggle connection by which the sleeve or tube 211 is lowered when bell crank 222 is operated. The toggle permits the tube 211 to be held in its lowered position independently of the cam 221. When the tube 211 is lowered, the upper rod 217 is permitted to drop a short distance out of contact with the friction disk 219, thereby breaking the frictional driving connection with the pad 54. Ball bearings 227 at the lower end of the spindle shaft permit free rotation of the rod 212 within the shaft. Ball bearings 228 are provided between the non-rotatable tube 211 and the rotatable head 216.

Orientation of bottles Hollow glass articles such as bottles and jars are usually blown in split molds which results in producing more or less pronounced vertical seams in the outer surface of the glass at the parting lines of the molds. The present invention provides means for rotatively positioning or orienting the bottles relative to the printing dies, so that the design will be printed at a predetermined position to avoid interference between the design and the seams. The means for thus orienting the bottles will now be described, referring particularly to Figs. l1-l4. Each bottle is formed with a small lug 230 near the lower end thereof and in a predetermined position relative to the vertical seam. The member 208 forming the upper end of the spindle shaft has attached thereto a horizontal guide bar 231 on which is slidably mounted a slide bar 232. A stop pin 233, herein referred to as the register finger, is attached to the slide bar at one end thereof. The slide bar is movable into a stop position in which the pin 233 is in the path of the stop lug 230 on the bottle 50. The spindle section 208 is formed with an extension 234 (Fig. L2) to which an arm 235 is bolted. A rocker 236 is j-ournaled in the arm 235 and carries a cam follower roll 237 which runs on stationary cams 238 and 239 (Figs. ll, 12 and 14). The rocker 236 is formed with an arm 240 which serves as a latch to engage the slide bar 232 as shown in the lower part of Fig. 12, and thereby hold the register finger 233 in its retracted position. When the cam roll 237 runs up the cam 238 the arm 240 is swung away from the slide bar 232, permitting the latter to be 

